Seven people escape Grand Rapids apartment house fire, blaze still under investigation

GRAND RAPIDS — Seven people — including a 3-week-old infant — escaped a Saturday morning blaze in an Alpine Avenue apartment house that firefighters are investigating as a possible arson.

The baby was carried out of the burning house at 1468 Alpine Ave. NW by a woman who jumped through a window. A man injured his ankle, also jumping out of a window, firefighters said.

The baby, its father and mother were transported by ambulance to Butterworth Hospital, but Roy Harvey, Grand Rapids Fire Department captain, said there were no serious injuries.

Identification of the residents is being withheld for now and the investigation is ongoing, Harvey said. He said he could not say how the fire started but the department is “leaning toward arson” as the cause.

The fire started on the home’s back porch, with flames moving into the building.

Several dogs also were inside the home, and all of the dogs made it out safely.

Fire officials were called on to the scene around 11 a.m. Saturday.

Harvey said at the scene that he didn’t believe the house would be a total loss.

“Because it was starting to get into the structure itself, we had to cut some holes in there to get ventilation going,” Harvey said.